Thanksgiving Thoughts

When I was growing up in Wisconsin, we had very traditional holiday celebrations. Every Thanksgiving, we began our day with church in the morning and then to my Grandma VW's house for the Thanksgiving feast along with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. Every year my dad would tell me he thought Grandma would be having chicken this year instead of turkey. Every year I believed him. And every year my Uncle Pete carved the turkey. How I love those memories.

That was a time when people grew up, got married and raised their families in the same area so traditions could be established. It hasn't been that way so much with me. I went to college in Iowa, married Mark who has always lived in Iowa and I haven't left since. But even though Mark has lived in Iowa his entire life, we don't live near his family so we haven't had the opportunity to establish traditions like I had as a child.

When we were first married and living closer to Mark's family, we usually went there with his extended family. But then we moved and over the years our Thanksgiving routine changed and now it's different every year. When Mark and whatever child was currently involved in high school basketball, I would take the other available offspring and spend Thanksgiving in Wisconsin with my parents. It could be different people in any given year. Two years ago, Cody and Elizabeth were doing a rotation in Philadelphia so the rest of us boarded a plane and flew out there for the weekend. Cody and Elizabeth had limted pots and pans so much of our Thanksgiving dinner was made in foil pans. As Cody brought out the dishes, he wished us all a "Happy Tinsgiving." Cleanup was certainly a breeze. Last year, we once again treked up to northwest Iowa and had our last Thanksgiving with Mark's grandpa.

This year, we once again had a new Thanksgiving experience with an old twist. We were invited by our good, good Waukee friends John and Monica to spend the day at their home. Cody and Elizabeth couldn't be with us this year and John and Monica's oldest son, Ben, is in the Merchant Marine and spent Thanksgiving on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. I was once again able to begin the Thanksgiving Day by going to church. We went to Lutheran Church of Hope and it warmed my heart to see them keep bringing in more chairs and more chairs as more and more people arrived. We were going to sit with John and Monica, but they were late enough that they got the front row. It was a traditional service just like I grew up with -- singing those wonderful Thanksgiving hymns.

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;He chastens and hastens his will to make known;The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;So from the beginning the fight we were winning;Thou, Lord, wast at our side,

All glory be thine!We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.Let thy congregation escape tribulation;Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

To me it was the perfect service for that day, an opportunity to reflect and just feel so humbly thankful for all the blessings I have been given.

From there, it was on to John and Monica's. I brought dessert, which Carissa made, and we (certainly me anyhow) ate too much, watched some football, talked a lot, laughed a lot, and enjoyed a day with friends. I could not have had a more perfect day. I could not be more thankful.

Sometimes I think it would be nice for my kids to have grown up with a Thanksgiving tradition and be able to enjoy that experience. But this is good too. It gives us the opportunity to be thankful for family, friends, loving the ones you're with and the ones somewhere else, setting aside this day for Giving Thanks.



Thanksgiving
1. A day set aside to give thanks.
2. Carissa and Carson home for the weekend.
3. Monica, John, Callie and Zeke.
4. Movies.
5. Fondue.
6. Safe travel for Carissa and Carson as they drove back.

With Lifted Hands
1. Safety for Ben in his travels.
2. Cody and Elizabeth.
3. Focus as Carissa and Rachel prepare for finals.
4. Rachel.
5. Tate.
6. Carson will be able to join us in Wisconsin.
7. Blessings on the Christmas season.